Broadwing To Test DSL Delivery to Televisions

ZoomTown.com, Broadwing's (www.broadwing.com), brand name for its DSL service, together with Intertainer, uniView Technologies ( www.uniview.com) and Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), announced that ZoomTown.com will test market a service to provide asymmetrical digital subscriber line broadband entertainment directly to consumers' televisions. The test will take place in Cincinnati, Ohio.

If the trial proves successful, ZoomTown.com (www.company.zoomtown.com), expects to offer the service to its more than 35,000 subscribers next year. The service requires at least 750/kbps of bandwidth, and will use Microsoft Windows Media Technologies including the player, format and DRM technology. The set-top box will be manufactured by uniView based on the Windows platform, and will include a remote that allows for the user to pause, rewind, and fast-forward the content.

Intertainer (www.intertainer.com), will provide the content for the trial. Intertainer's library of content includes the licensing rights to more than 50,000 hours of entertainment programming from top media companies such as Dreamworks SKG, Sony Music, Warner Bros. and Columbia TriStar Television. Zoomtown has previously offered Intertainer's services through the PC, but the companies are hoping that pushing the entertainment into the living room, will increase profitability.

"It is our strong contention that IP technology directly to the television will revolutionize home entertainment, and now ZoomTown.com is stepping forward to be the first provider to make it a reality for DSL subscribers," said Jonathan Taplin, president and CEO of Intertainer.

A spokeswoman for Zoomtown stated that pricing will be determined as a result of this test trial. In all likelihood, the pricing will be around $2.95 per movie, which is the price Intertainer charges for its premium service to DSL-connected PCs.